New Zealand to help Fiji fight transnational crimes

689A - 9isiting 1ew =ealand Prime Minister -acinda Ardern said yesterday that her government will help Fiji to fight transnational crimes. Ardern, who held talks with her Fijian counterpart 9oreqe Bainimarama on Tuesday, said that 1ew =ealand and Fiji faced challenges with the ever-growing issue of drug fight at the borders and this is the reason her government will be giving a total of million 1ew =ealand dollars (about . million 8.6. dollars for this.

The assistance will include the setting up of three labs in May, coupled with four fulltime experts to work with the Fiji Police Force as well as the provision of trained tracker dogs to help detect drugs.

Ardern said she continues to support Fijian prime minister in the fight against climate change, adding Fiji can count on 1ew =ealand to partner in this fight.

Other issues discussed between the two prime ministers included CO9,'- and PACER (the Pacific Agreement on Closer Economic Relations Plus, which is a proposed free trade agreement between the Forum ,slands Countries (F,Cs and Australia and 1ew =ealand.

For his part, Bainimarama said 1ew =ealand is Fiji¶s second-largest regional trading partner and every year, tens of thousands of Kiwis visit Fiji.

Bainimarama said the two leaders spoke at great length of new avenues of regional economic opportunity. Ardern arrived on Monday night for her first four-day official visit to Fiji.

(Xinhua)